


Always Better with You (By My Side)

by DyslexicSquirrel



Series: Stony Bingo 2019 [8]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, M/M, Post-Avengers (2012), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, referenced but not specifically said
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-04
Updated: 2019-08-04
Packaged: 2020-07-31 00:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20106415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DyslexicSquirrel/pseuds/DyslexicSquirrel
Summary: “I haven’t liked being touched since…” Steve trails off, staring at his bedroom wall, but Tony as always knows what he was going to say.





	Always Better with You (By My Side)

**Author's Note:**

> Stony Bingo 2019 round 2 fill (square T2)  
Prompt: Hates being touched
> 
> This is super short, but I didn’t want this particular one to be really long. Hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Comments and kudos always appreciated. ❤️

“I haven’t liked being touched since…” Steve trails off, staring at his bedroom wall, but Tony as always knows what he was going to say. 

“Since you came out of the ice,” he finishes softly, running a gentle hand up Steve’s arm. Steve nods, eyes dropping to where Tony’s hand moves against his skin wondering, not for the first time, why it never bothers him when it’s Tony’s hands or lips or anything else. “I was like that for a while after Afghanistan.” 

Steve looks up at Tony’s face. He so rarely talks about that time. Steve hadn’t known him then, had still been in the Valkyrie, he thinks, but he had read old articles online. Of course, those could never really explain how Tony had felt, everything he’d gone through. Steve knew he could ask and Tony would tell him, but he never wanted to push. He doesn’t ask this time either. Instead, he nods his head and says, “There was just so much time I can’t account for when I was… thawing.” 

That word sounds wrong when used to describe himself. Thawing is something you do to your pipes when they freeze in the middle of winter so they don’t burst. It wasn’t what you did to a  _ person _ . But it had been done to him; he’d needed to thaw. He shuddered at the thought and felt Tony’s lips press to his cheek, facial hair rasping against his skin, and Steve closed his eyes, reveling in it. The being able to be touched without his skin crawling. 

“I don’t know why you’re different.” He hadn’t meant to say the words out loud. Didn’t want to push Tony away with them. He went still, hardly breathing, waiting for Tony’s reaction. 

“Does it matter?” 

“No,” Steve says, curling his body into Tony’s. Tony wrapped his arms around him, tangled their legs together and eased them both back against the pillows. 

“Just go to sleep, darling.” The words were spoken against Steve’s temple, Tony’s breath ruffling Steve’s hair. He sighs, let’s his eyes drift shut. Tony rubs his back until Steve falls back asleep. He didn’t have the nightmare again that night. It was always better when Tony was holding him. 


End file.
